title: Headache and its effects on health-related quality of life among adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted with aim of determining prevalence of headache and evaluating its effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Beylikova town of Eskisehir city in the west of Turkey.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted on adults aged 20 years and over aged between May 11 and June 04 2009 in Beylikova town of Eskisehir city in the west of Turkey. A total of 587 people were selected by simple randomized method. The International Headache Society criteria were used for the determination of severity of headache. The 36-item short-form (SF-36) was used for the assessment of healthrelated quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of men and women was 302 (51.4%), and 285 (48.6%), respectively. The mean age was 46.70 ± 15.26 years (range, 20-87 years). Headache prevalence was found to be 78.2% (n=459). Decreased headache prevalence was found in the ages older than 30-44 age group (p < 0.05). All domains of SF-36, the mean scores were higher in individuals without headache than those with headache (for each, p < 0.05). Migraine prevalence was found to be 7.2% (n=33).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In accordance with the literature, this study found the presence of headache in adults at high frequency (78.2%). Particularly the presence of migraine and increased severity of headache were found to decrease the quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Didem
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arslantas
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tozun
authors.forename: Alaettin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Unsal
authors.forename: Zuhtu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ozbek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004522:Educational Status; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D008881:Migraine Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011153:Population; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D018401:Sample Size; D012919:Social Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult